A community is a group of people that have similar interests and work together to achieve set goals.
The family is the child’s first community. In a traditional African society, there is a saying that “it takes a village to raise a child” The proverb underlines the strong sense of communal feel in traditional African society. In this sense, the whole community greatly impacts the child's growth. The community play a huge role in the training of the child.
If you are walking/driving past a newspaper stand every morning, you will always see people arguing about politics and others sharing their perspectives on the day's news; that is a community, in that audience; you have a carpenter, okada man, a student, an artisan etc. Over time, you find that they transact business with each other, networking happens there, and referrals are gotten from there. If a novice in politics joins the people at the newspaper stand for 5-6 weeks, you will find out that he will start discussing politics too, which means that growth has taken place.
The people you gist with at the viewing center are your community. That particular section of the market you always go to because you have become familiar with the sellers there is your community. Relationships develop from there and value is constantly exchanged. People often participate in communities without knowing it.
How the advent of Technology changed the way communities interact
The advent of technology has changed the way we interact in our communities. The concept of communities today transcends physical boundaries and geographical location.
People belong in the same community today by trending the same hashtag and jumping on the same trend, participating in a challenge, belonging to the same WhatsApp group, and signing up for a virtual class. There are many ways that technology has redefined our communities.
Today, if I want to argue politics, I will go to Twitter instead of going to the newspaper stand and replying to someone with an opposing view. If I want to gist football, I simply join a Whatsapp group that talks about football. If I am interested in celebrity gifts and entertainment gossip, I simply join the community on any social media platform.
Regardless of whatever career you have chosen, especially as a young person, your growth is predicated on your community.
With your phone, you can be in numerous communities and receive value from all of them.
To move from point A to point B, there has to be a road map for you to follow.
In a community, you find people that have already been through the process, so your process is already shortened when they share their experiences with you.
The essence of the community is value and growth, you risk being left behind if you exclude yourself from communities that will help you grow.
Times are fast changing, be intentional about your community, and belong to tribes of shared interests online. Be strategic about it. Celebrate winnings together.
Communities create a road map for success. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. What you need is to follow the already created road map.
I leave you with this African proverb.
“If you want to go fast, go alone if you want to go far, go together.
Communities are changing
Technology has redefined it
Don't be left behind.
